1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for interfacing with and using commercial databases. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods that allow the user to easily modify the display format, functions, and filters operating upon database information extracted from a plurality of persistent data stores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases have long been used by companies to store and analyze various types of information critical to the operation of a company. The source of the information in such databases is data from forms such as invoices and purchase orders. This data is first decomposed into rigid, predetermined structures that are easy for computers to access such as database tables, files, and objects. Typically, these predetermined structures are organized in a technical manner by computer programmers. The organization of the data in the predetermined structures is driven by the need to efficiently use memory, to maximize the efficiency of operations on the data, and to maintain data integrity. While such a technical point of view of data organization may be ideal for the storing and processing the data, this technical view of the data bears very little resemblance to organization of the data in real world forms from which they were extracted and the format that non-technical users are accustom to encountering. Therefore, it is very difficult for a user unfamiliar with the database's underlying organization structure (e.g., a manager) to understand and manipulate the data. In most cases, the user is forced to learn the underlying structure of the database, which for the business user, has no meaning. In other instances, the business/non-technical user must consult a programmer or other person with knowledge of database to obtain and format the desired information from the database. Thus, the databases presently available remain very difficult for the business person or non-technical user to operate, and there is a need for a system that presents the data in familiar formats that are very pliable.
Another problem with current databases is that each database has its own language that is used to formulate queries, to update records, and to perform functions on the data in the database. For example, there are a number of database programs such as Dbase, Paradox, SQL, and IMS. Each program has different syntax, schemes, and languages for operating the database. The user must specify actions such as sorts and queries in a programming language, a natural language, or a "point and click" version of the language. Moreover, each user must have an understanding of basic programming concepts necessary to use the language of the database. This requires knowing computer programming principles generally, as well as those principles dominant in database programming. A particular problem exists where a company is utilizing one type of database for sales, while utilizing another type of database for manufacturing, since a non-technical business user may be forced to learn two languages and two underlying database structures. Thus, there is a need for a system that eliminates the user's need to understand programming while allowing the user to interact with the database.
Therefore, there is a need for a system that both allows the user to view and update database information in formats to which the user is accustomed, and allows the user to manipulate the data and perform actions without a significant knowledge of databases and their operation.